Why “Supernatural Fiction” is Under-Represented in Christian Bookstores

You’re right on the money about the occult. Christian readers equate reading about spiritual warfare with demons as dabbling in the occult. I’m sorry but we do have an enemy and that enemy is Satan and his fallen angels and until we openly acknowledge that and tell the world evil is REAL, we will continue to play right into his hands by sticking our heads in the sand!
Books about spiritual warfare are, in my opinion, necessary to make us wary of the enemy’s tools and his influence. Apathy and disregard for the “occult” are Satan’s biggest allies. This does not mean we should go out and attend seances or summon demons. Walter Martin’s excellent book, “The Kingdom of the Occult” should be required reading for all thinking Christians.
It took me ten years to get a major publisher to take a look at my supernatural thriller book series. My goal was to present the concept that evil is real and Satan and his forces are out there actively destroying lives right and left and we need to sit up and take notice.
Initially, I aimed the books at a crossover market and the CBA publishers just didn’t get it. I had to self publish the first two books of my series and garner some book awards before my agent could get a major publisher to look at them. Kudos to Jeff Jernigan at Hidden Value Group for getting me a deal with Strang for a five book series. Now, I’m a little hesitant about how these books will be received by the Christian readers out there. I had good success with the secular marketplace, believe it or not. But, most of the supernatural thrillers center around serial killers. I get tired of reading about serial killers.
I am in hopes that one of the books in the series will help me launch a science fiction series. We’ll see how successful they are when my books hit the market. But, it is daunting.
In my marketing and publicity campaign for the self published books I found myself speaking to talk shows in the weird and bizarre world on the fringe. But, I viewed it as a missionary field and had a great time talking to people about the validity of the Christian worldview. I am also excited that io9 brought this story to the forefront. Let’s continue to engage them in our worldview. Thanks for the post. It was refreshing and has opened up a very important topic for discussion. Readers, get out of the safe zone! The world is a hotbed of spiritual warfare and the stories are too good not to be told — and read!

Mike,
My son spotted a reference to your comments concerning Christianity and Speculative Fiction and referred it to me. I have written an Apocalypse novel which blends elements of the Christian Apocalypse with elements of Science Fiction. A first draft was accepted by a Christian Literary agent who shopped it around to the few Christian publishers willing to take a look at it. Their comments in rejecting it were interesting – one I remember was “please, no spiritual warfare, and no apocalypse stories either.”

Which I found pretty interesting. Good thing they weren’t on the editorial board when THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE came over the transom . . .

I am currently sketching out ideas for a rewrite of the story, which I am still enthusiastic about. My guess is that I’ll have better success with either non-Christian agents and editors, or self publishing and self promoting the story.

Your comments about Christian Romance I found spot-on as well. Not long ago I was looking for some books by a writer friend I met at a writing seminar. She writes Christian woman’s fiction. I remember standing there thinking “What’s with all the covers featuring women in bonnets and prairie dresses? This is pretty creepy.”

My grandfather was a Mennonite, so I’m actually the product of an Amish Romance, but . . . those books creep me out also.

Dave P.

I have actually been thinking a GREAT deal about this very topic. Looking around the bookstores, I see books aimed at our young people that glorify the occult, witch craft, demons and the whole gamut. Satan never had one original idea, so like everything else, he produced a twisted fake of the real thing. We need Christian authors AND publishers to step up to the plate and break this thing WIDE open.
Demons exist, the enemy exists, witch craft and satanic worship exists. As a body, we need to recognize it and fight it. God called us to live a life unleashed, to stand up and fight the enemy on every front and I also believe that means fiction. Get the kids reading, get the parents reading and thinking about the fact a Christian life is a supernatural one.

I think too the Western-Christian subculture has a lot to d with it. I am currently pondering what that actually means and the implications of it.

American Christianity, viewed from the outside is beginning to appear stranger and stranger.

I am a missionaries’ kid, growing up in West Africa and Mexico and then going into work for the US government upon graduation from college. so barring the 6 years of undergrad and grad school, I have spent most of my life as an outsider looking into the bubble of American Christianity. I have spent the last seven years in Asia – in China, Mongolia and Japan. Christianity here – while the essence of the gospel is the same because of its relative newness doesn’t seem to be as encumbered as US Christianity.

Which has led me to question the subculture in general – why does it exist? Where did it come from? Where did it get some of it’s odd ideas? Why is US Christianity so concerned with labeling everything good or evil? How did reading material get caught up in this? How much are true questions that should be asked and how much is the subculture’s grasp for control?

How much of it is true Christianity? How much of the cultural stuff like Christian bookstores and Christian music are based not on true desire for righteousness but on the subcultures’ fear of confrontation with “the world?”

How much of this Amish lit is based in reality? C S Lewis said he wrote spec fiction (Fairy tales) because it came closer to reality than realistic fictions made-up “Utopia’s.” I would put forward the theory that the reason Spec fiction is not as accepted as Amish fiction is because spec fiction by nature challenges its readers to think about deeper ideas rather than playing into their desires of an impossible and unrealistic Utopia that is painted in Amish romance novels.

I find it fascinating how quickly American Christianity is to pick apart what they do not understand – without even attempting understanding some of the roots of it. I am saying this as much about culture as about genre – I am sick of reading American news because of its constant bashing of Asian culture without any attempt of understanding it. Why do we think as American Christians this means we have nothing to learn from anyone else and should regard everyone else with suspicion?

I say “we” loosely – I grew up in American fundamentalist beliefs with a twist – the minor detail of living overseas. I am half observing as an outsider and half commenting as an insider – only as I have started to write have I realized how daunting it seems – affinity for spec fiction aside – I’m not sure I can do “white” characters justice……and why are they the only characters in Christian writing?